Finding Clarity

I want to speak to someone tonight that has been feeling there way through life…

KEY- Feeling your way through life is not spiritual, it’s blindness.

POINT- God has a purpose and a plan for your life, and his plan doesn’t start later in your life it starts now.

Is there anyone here tonight who wants to SEE the vision??? Anyone want to get some clarity into your future, into what you are supposed to do now???

ILLUSTRATION-

(NLT) — 22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

MAIN POINT- It is God’s will for you to see clearly, to have vision for here and now, and vision for what up and coming. If you are lacking vision you are in the right place, because this is a house of mercy and Jesus will open up your eyes.

1. Leave behind the old stuff.

(NLT) — 22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village…

KEY- It was people who lead this man to Jesus, but it was Jesus who lead this man to what was next.

There are going to be Christians who enjoy getting to know Jesus ONLY in the crowd…

POINT- If you want vision you have to allow Jesus to lead you to that place of obscurity. Where they can’t see you, but you can see them.

KEY- God often does his best work in your life not in the public place but in the private place.

God spoke to Moses on the mountain side, where? In seclusion… He didn’t speak to Moses in the public palace but in the unaccompanied climb…

God spoke to Samuel the prophet not in the presence of Eli the priest, but in the dead of night.

God spoke to David on the mountain side with the sheep.

KEY POINT- When you start to feel abandoned start listening for God, likely he is going to show you what people can not.

ILLUSTRATION- When I first moved to Philadelphia.

KEY- Leaving the village was dangerous for a blind man.

KEY POINT- You will only grow as high as what you trust in.

CHALLENGE- It’s time you start holding Jesus’s hand!

So now when I go to school I have courage to share my testimony, and now when I step on the athletic field I’m not afraid to let it be known who I live for…

2. Wait on Jesus for Clarity

(NLT) — 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”

For someone who has either never seen or not been able to see for a very long time blurry vision may have seemed good enough.

KEY POINT- A reason so many fail and stumble and fall back into the same old stuff is because they have mistaken good enough for all of enough.

So you come back from youth camp with “new vision” for your school “new vision” for your family, “new vision” for your life and you get excited about it and start to move on it, but you are moving on a blurry image…

You stopped praying about it, you stopped seeking God about it…

(NLT) — 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.

CHALLENGE- Are you seeking AGAIN, are you praying AGAIN, are you coming to Jesus AGAIN, are you hungry AGAIN, are you willing to go AGAIN, are you…

POINT- The strength of my faith is not seen in the instant miracle, it is seen in the ongoing miracle.

CHALLENGE- Some of you are moving on blurry images when you could be experiencing the clear image but you have forgotten the word AGAIN.

3. Go a new way

(NLT) — 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

ILLUSTRATION-

CHALLENGE- Are you truly willing to allow God to change you??

KEY- At this point in the miracle he already got what he wanted, it’s one thing to see obedience before the miracle with the exception that God is going to heal, its another to be obedient after you get what you want.

So now when God gives me vision I don’t go back to the place where I lacked it…

POINT- You might have vision, but do you have focus???

Conclusion…

(NLT) — 27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.” 29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

I want vision but I also want to have focus